article

Brahman kinship in a Tamil village

American Anthropologist58 • Published In 1956 • Pages: 826-853

By: Gough, Kathleen.

Abstract
This article explores the 'characteristics of the Brahman kinship system which differentiates it from that of the lower castes: first the Brahman occupations, means of subsistence, and position in the scale of ranked castes; and second, certain moral values deriving from the Sanskrit religious tradition, of which they are the main carriers' (p. 826). The article also provides an analysis of the status of women, marriage preference and regulation, kinship terminology, relationships within the family, and child-rearing. An appendix of Brahman and low-caste kinship terms is included.
Subjects
Castes
Lineages
Family relationships
Kinship terminology
Extended families
Gender status
Regulation of marriage
culture
Tamil
HRAF PubDate
2009
Region
Asia
Sub Region
South Asia
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Del Childs
Field Date
1951-1953
Coverage Date
1951-1953
Coverage Place
village of Kumbapettai, Tanjore District, India
Notes
By E. Kathleen Gough
Includes bibliographical references (p. 853)
LCCN
17015424
LCSH
Tamil (Indic people)